Category: Author Debut

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, G, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014

2014.41 REVIEW – A Time to Kill by John Grisham

Tara

A Time to Kill
by John Grisham

Copyright: 1989
Pages: 515
Rating: 4/5
Read: Aug. 22 – 29, 2014
Challenge: Official TBR Challenge
Yearly count: 41
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy
Series: N/A

A Time to KillBlurb: Clanton, Mississippi. The life of a ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men. The mostly white town reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until her black father acquires an assault rifle – and takes justice into his own outraged hands.

For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client’s life … and then his own…

Review: This book was from my own shelves, all opinions expressed below are my own.

What really defines a “classic”? Is it something from a gazillion years ago that we are forced to read in high school, with language and dialects that we can’t even follow along with? Or is it something that can be written in the 1980s and still resonate with a reader in the year 2014? I go with the latter.

I originally placed this book on my to-read list this year for the Official TBR Challenge. I don’t remember why this particular book made it onto my list, but I’m sure it was just the shock of realizing that I had never read this book. I will be honest, I have seen the movie (though years ago, and I only recalled that Matthew McConaughey portrayed the defense counsel).

But here’s what really gets me about this book. You’d have to be a complete recluse with no contact with the outside world to not know what has happened in Ferguson, Missouri in the past few weeks. All I want to say about the matter is that it was a sad situation and the violence and rioting was completely unacceptable. But back to the book … I was amazed at how the racism aspects of this book is still very relevant to today’s world. The events of the past month have proved that there are still very large problems in our country. Ones that are ignored for the most part, until things come completely undone.

And that, my dear readers, is why I feel like this book is such a classic. If I can read a book that was published when I was 5 years old and be able to sit down and realize that the plot of this book could be played out today in just about any court in the country … it just speaks volumes to me.

Personally I highly enjoyed this book. And I think it should be required reading. My one and only complaint is that it really could have been about 150 pages shorter. Every character we encounter along the way seemed to have their own back story, which just continued to draw out the book. But the last 100 pages were full of nail-biting suspense and really set the bar for Mr. Grisham’s fellow authors.

My copy of the book included an author note from Mr. Grisham. I want to leave you with the last sentence:

This one came from the heart. It’s a first novel, and at times it rambles, but I wouldn’t change a word if given the chance.

If you have never read this book, do not hesitate. If you have read this book, consider a re-read.

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, B, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.35 REVIEW – Don’t Try To Find Me by Holly Brown

Tara

Don’t Try to Find Me
by Holly Brown

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 352
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 23-July 29, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 35
Format:  Print
Source: Publicist
Series: N/A

Don't Try to Find MeBlurb: Though the message on the kitchen whiteboard is in fourteen-year-old Marley’s handwriting, her mother, Rachel, knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

Marley’s quiet. Innocent. Sheltered. Growing up in Northern California with all the privilege Rachel never had, what does Marley know about taking care of herself? About being okay?

Rachel might not know her daughter at all. But she does know that she needs to find Marley before someone else does. Someone dangerous.

The police have limited resources devoted to runaways. If Rachel and her husband, Paul, want their daughter back, they’ll have to find her themselves. Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn’t the only one with something to hide. Paul’s social media campaign generates national attention, and the public scrutiny could expose Rachel’s darkest secrets. When she blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins.

The blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It’s not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it’s discovered that Rachel lied to the police, the devoted mother becomes the prime suspect in Marley’s disappearance.

Is Marley out there, somewhere, watching it all happen … or is the truth something far worse?

Review: I received a copy of this book for free via a publicist, all opinions expressed below are my own.

The description of this book immediately intrigued me and I was very glad when I was able to receive a review copy. And I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The whole idea of Marley running away with a boyfriend that she met on the internet brought back some pretty bad memories of my early teenage years. I was about 15 when I decided it would be a great idea to meet a guy I had met online in some chatroom in real life. Luckily I was smart enough to meet at a public place with a friend in tow. However, I watched from the back of the building as he pulled up in his beat-up 20-year-old car and he wasn’t exactly 16 like he had told me. I never approached him, instead I hid behind the building until he finally gave up and left. I later told him that my parents hadn’t let me go out that night and I then never spoke to him again. I learned a very important lesson that night. And I was lucky for that. There are a lot of young girls out there who aren’t that lucky.

And that’s what I think made this book so much more real to me. I think teenagers need to read this book. Anyone can be anyone they want to on the internet and I really liked how this book explored that idea.

All of that aside, I thought this was a very well-written book. I personally thought Ms. Brown portrayed Marley better than she did Rachel. Maybe it was just me not liking how weak Rachel was portrayed. But I feel as if the sections from Marley’s perspective were stronger than those of Rachel’s.

The writing was very well done. The characters were well-developed. The storyline was fresh and relevant. This book reads so fast as well, I would sit down and 50 pages later I would come up for air.

Overall, a great book that I would highly recommend.

3/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, H, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, TLC Book Tours

2014.31 REVIEW – Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Tara

Elizabeth is Missing
by Emma Healey

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 301
Rating: 3/5
Read: June 26-July 4, 2014
Challenge: No Challenge
Yearly count: 31
Format:  Print
Source: TLC Book Tour
Series: N/A

Elizabeth is MissingBlurb: Despite Maud’s growing anxiety about Elizabeth’s welfare, no one takes her concerns seriously – not her frustrated daughter, not her caretakers, not the police, and especially not Elizabeth’s mercurial son – because Maud suffers from dementia. But even as her memory disintegrates and she becomes increasingly dependent on the trail of handwritten notes she leaves for herself in her pockets and around her house, Maud cannot forget her best friend. Armed with only an overwhelming feeling that Elizabeth needs her help, Maud resolves to discover the truth – no matter what it takes.

As this singular obsession forms a cornerstone of Maud’s rapidly dissolving present, the clues she uncovers lead her deeper into her past, to another unsolved disappearance: that of her sister, Sukey, who vanished shortly after World War II. As vivid memories of a tragedy that occurred more than fifty years ago come flooding back, Maud’s search for Elizabeth develops a frantic momentum. Whom can she trust? Can she trust herself?

A page-turning novel of suspense, Elizabeth is Missing also hauntingly reminds us that we are all at the mercy of our memory. Always compelling, often poignant, and at times even blackly witty, this is an absolutely unforgettable novel.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free in conjunction with a TLC book tour, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I was about 65 pages into this book when I realized that I didn’t know if I could go on with it. At that point I had spent three days reading those 65 pages. Three days. And it wasn’t because it was a bad book. Not at all. It was because Maud’s dementia hit a little too close to home for me. My grandmother has recently been diagnosed with dementia. I’m not sure what stage she’s in, but things are definitely deteriorating with her and it’s heartbreaking to watch. So. I was stuck … did I push through or give up?

I chose to push through. But I think a part of me really wanted to understand what my grandmother is going through. And let me tell you, the way Ms. Healey portrays dementia … just, wow. Obviously not having any previous contact with someone with the disease, I’m not sure what things will really get like. But I felt as if Ms. Healey hit it spot on in the way Maud is portrayed. It just felt so real. And my heart broke for Maud. And Helen. And Katy. It really was tough to watch the family go through everything. And Helen was so strong throughout it all; stronger than I would be or could be in her position.

But back to the book. I think the only reason I couldn’t rate it higher than a 3 (which means I liked it, but didn’t love it), is because of the dementia issue. I had trouble getting past it at times. I was relieved when I got to the last 50 pages and we finally learned what had happened to Elizabeth. It really didn’t surprise me, and I had a feeling it was as it turned out to be. But what shocked me was the storyline with Sukey. I can’t help but wonder if Maud saw exactly what happened to her sister all those years before and the shock of it all made her brain block it from her. I might have read into that a little more than what was there, but that’s the feeling I got from Sukey’s storyline. (Or it might have been exactly what Ms. Healey was trying to tell us … I read the last 80 pages in the car with a screaming toddler; my concentration might have been broken a few times!)

Overall, I think Ms. Healey is a very talented author. She definitely has a way with developing her characters in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. And if you follow me regularly, you know character development is very important to me. The writing was very well done and was easy to read. The story lines alternated back and forth between present day and shortly after World War II when Maud was just a teenager. The Sukey storyline was much more lucid, but it was really the present day storyline that was the heart and soul of this book in my opinion. It was the storyline that told the heartbreaking truth about the disease of dementia.

I would definitely recommend this to other readers – mystery lovers, literary fiction lovers, individuals with friends/relatives suffering from dementia. I think the audience can be very wide-reaching with this book.

I enjoyed it overall, but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read this book before my grandmother’s dementia diagnosis.

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Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Emma Healey photo credit Martin FiguraFind out more about Emma at her website and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.Emma Healey holds a degree in bookbinding and an MA in creative writing. Elizabeth Is Missing is her first novel. She lives in the UK.

Emma’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, June 10th: Anita Loves Books
Wednesday, June 11th: Literally Jen
Thursday, June 12th: Doing Dewey
Monday, June 16th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Tuesday, June 17th: Always With a Book
Wednesday, June 18th: Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, June 19th: From the TBR Pile
Monday, June 23rd: Kahakai Kitchen
Tuesday, June 24th: A Bookworm’s World
Wednesday, June 25th: Ace and Hoser Blook
Thursday, June 26th: BoundbyWords
Monday, June 30th: Book-alicious Mama
Tuesday, July 1st: Time 2 Read
Wednesday, July 2nd: Tina’s Book Reviews
Thursday, July 3rd: Mockingbird Hill Cottage
Monday, July 7th: Tales of a Book Addict
Thursday, July 10th: 5 Minutes For Books
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3/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book, U-V-W

2014.30 REVIEW – The Qualities of Wood by Mary Vensel White

Tara

The Qualities of Wood
by Mary Vensel White

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 312
Rating: 3/5
Read: June 19-25, 2014
Challenge: No Challenge
Yearly count: 30
Format:  Print
Source: Publicist for Review
Series: N/A

The Qualities of WoodBlurb: When Betty Gardiner dies, leaving behind an unkempt country home, her grandson and his young wife take a break from city life to prepare the house for sale. Nowell Gardiner leaves first to begin work on his second mystery novel. By the time his wife Vivian joins him, a real mystery has begun: a local girl has been found dead in the woods behind the house. Even after the death is ruled an accident, Vivian can’t forget the girl, can’t ignore the strange behavior of her neighbors, or her husband. As Vivian attempts to put the house in order, all around her things begin to fall apart.

The Qualities of Wood is a novel about secrets. Family secrets. Community secrets. And secrets between lovers, past and present. And all of these secrets have their price.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

When I was first pitched this book, it sounded really great. I was definitely excited about getting the chance to read and review it.

However, I was ultimately let down by this book. Maybe I had too high of hopes for it, I don’t know. But it didn’t end up being the book that I had hoped for. To bill this book as a “mystery” is not entirely correct in my opinion. Because there wasn’t much mystery at all in it. And I think that’s what I was disappointed in. When the blurb talks about a dead girl and secrets, I automatically think: mystery. But this book does not fit that bill.

The ending was extremely rushed. You had 300 pages of build-up to finally figure out what was really going on. Three hundred pages. And twelve pages of Vivian, Lonnie, and Nowell running around in the woods behind the house. I just expected more. I wanted more answers. I wanted Vivian to step up her game and really question Nowell with the revelations he made. I wanted more than I got.

Now, I will say this about the book, the writing was impeccable. It flowed so beautifully in places. The characters were all interesting in their own way. I keep coming back to the idea that maybe things were left the way they were to open the door for another meeting of Vivian and Nowell. I could definitely see them still in Grandma Gardiner’s house raising a few children. There could be plenty of material still there to explore with some of the holes in this book.

So there is definitely good points to this book and I would ultimately recommend it to other readers. However, if mystery/thrillers are your main thing, I don’t think it will necessarily work for you. But if you like literary fiction, this one will probably be a home run for you.

Overall, a good book, but not what I was hoping for.

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, C, Fiction, Jack Reacher, RATING, Read in 2014, READING CHALLENGES 2014, SERIES

2014.28 REVIEW – Killing Floor by Lee Child

Tara

Killing Floor
by Lee Child

Copyright: 1997
Pages: 524
Rating: 4/5
Read: June 12-15, 2014
Challenge: TBR Pile Challenge
Yearly count: 28
Format:  Print
Source: Personal Copy
Series: Jack Reacher #1

Killing FloorBlurb: Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is a drifter. He’s just passing through Margrave, Georgia, and in less than an hour, he’s arrested for murder. Not much of a welcome. All Reacher knows is that he didn’t kill anybody. At least not here. Not lately. But he doesn’t stand a chance of convincing anyone. Not in Margrave, Georgia. Not a chance in hell.

Review: Sometime last year I picked this book up and put it back down after about 50 pages. It just didn’t catch my attention at the time like I needed it to. But I held onto my copy because I really wanted to read this book, I just had to catch it at the right time. 

Apparently my beach vacation is exactly what I needed for this book to “work” for me. Because I absolutely devoured this book! I couldn’t get enough of it. I started it on the plane, and I read snippets of it here and there every chance I could get. Including some time by the ocean 🙂

There’s not much I can say about this book that probably hasn’t been said a million times. Although I have to say that I’m a little irritated that I saw the Jack Reacher movie before I read this book. Because all I could think of all throughout the book was how Tom Cruise is just wrong, wrong, wrong as Jack Reacher.

Regardless of that, though, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot line was interesting. The characters were all well-developed. Actually, I was surprised as to how developed they were seeing as how Reacher is a drifter. Will this cast of characters reappear in later installments?

Either way, I’m definitely interested in meet Mr. Reacher again in the near future!

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, B, Book Review, Dresden Files, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2014, SERIES

2014.18 REVIEW – Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Tara

Storm Front
by Jim Butcher

Copyright: 2000
Pages: 322
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: April 4 – 15, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 18
Format:  Print
Source: Personal Copy (PBS)
Series: Dresden Files #1


Blurb: Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things – and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a – well, whatever.

There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get … interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

Review: A little while back I asked my Twitter friends for recommendations for a person who wanted to dabble in urban fantasy. Samantha gave me many recommendations, but this one stuck out for me. So I put myself on the wait list for it at Paperbackswap (I have credits out the wazoo) and got it relatively quickly. Then it sat. And sat some more. I finally picked it up when I realized I wanted a guilt-free book, something that wasn’t scheduled, just random.

So what are my thoughts? Well, if you know me very well, you will know that anything sci-fi and/or paranormal is wayyy out of my comfort zone. I’m slowly getting into paranormal, but I still have that “yeah, right” mentality when things get weird.

But overall I enjoyed this one. I won’t lie to you, I found myself losing interest slightly about halfway through. But there was something about Harry’s character that really drew me in. Believe it or not … he’s funny! I never would have thought there would be humor in this book. But there was a bit of it throughout the whole book. He’s just got a lot of sarcasm in him. I liked it!

There’s not much to say about this book that probably hasn’t already been discussed (I hate that part of reviewing older books … it seems like everyone has already read them, what is there left to say?!). Overall I have to say, for my first foray into the real of urban fantasy, it wasn’t all that bad. I kind of liked it. Okay, I really liked it at certain times. And while it will probably take me forever to do so, I will more than likely continue on with this series.

So thanks, Samantha, for a great recommendation!

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, M, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.9 REVIEW – Precious Thing by Colette McBeth

Tara

Precious Thing
by Colette McBeth

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 233
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 15 – Feb. 21, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 9
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

Precious ThingBlurb: For fans of Sister and Before I Go to Sleep comes a stunning suspense novel about two childhood best friends, reunited as adults and then ripped apart.

I know her inside out. I know what she’s thinking, I know what she wants. So I can’t give up on her, she knows I never will.

Some friendships fizzle out. Rachel and Clara promised theirs would last forever.

They met in high school when Rachel was the shy, awkward new girl and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Instantly, they fell under one another’s spell and nothing would be the same again. Now in their late twenties Rachel has the television career, the apartment and the boyfriend, while Clara’s life is spiraling further out of control. Yet despite everything, they remain inextricably bound. Then Rachel’s news editor assigns her to cover a police press conference, and she is shocked when she arrives to learn that the subject is Clara, reported missing. Is it abduction, suicide or something else altogether?

Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you’ve shared together. The truth is always there. But only if you choose to see it…

Review: I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

You can be so close to someone for a lifetime and not know who they really are. (p. 90 of e-galley)

What. A. Book.

I don’t even know where to start, to be completely honest. This is another one of those books where you just can’t say too much about it or else you get into some serious spoiler territory. And honestly, the less you know about this book going into it, the better.

First of all this book is written in the form of a long letter from Rachel to Clara. You get flashbacks of when they met in school alternating with what is going on present day. Ms. McBeth slowly reveals things layer by layer. It makes for a completely thrilling read, in my opinion.

The characters. I don’t even know what to say. I went back and forth trying to figure out who was more crazy, Clara or Rachel. Obviously I can’t say much more than that without giving away anything. But I can say that you can know almost immediately that something is definitely amiss.

Best friends who tell each other everything but the truth. (p. 204 of e-galley)

I’ve seen people comparing this one to Gone Girl. I can’t say for sure about that, I haven’t read Gone Girl. But I can tell you that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

If you’re in the mood for some seriously crazy, psychologically insane reading, pick this one up! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Highly recommended!!

A couple more quotes to share:

I’ve said it before. Truth is subjective. It’s not an absolute. My truth and theirs. Two against one. (p. 165 of e-galley)

My bosses had insisted I take time off until everything sorted itself out, when what they really wanted to say was stay away until we know you’re not a psychotic killer. (p. 216 of e-galley)

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, M, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.8 REVIEW – Fortunate Son by David Marlett

Tara

Fortunate Son
by David Marlett

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 337
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 14 – Feb. 20, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 8
Format: Print
Source: The Story Plant for blog tour

Fortunate SonBlurb: Meet James Annesley, son of 18th Century Ireland. Though you may have never heard his name before, his story has already touched you in profound ways. Now, for the first time, novelist David Marlett brings that incredible story to life.

Stretching from the dirty streets of Ireland to the endless possibilities of Colonial America, from drama on the high seas with the Royal Navy to a life-and-death race across England and up the Scottish Highlands, from the prospect of a hangman’s noose to a fate decided in the halls of justice, Fortunate Son is a powerful, relentless epic. Here nobility, duels, love, courage, revenge, honor, and treachery among family, friends and ancient enemies abound. And at its center is the most momentous trial in Irish history – the trial of Annesley v. Anglesea from which our modern “attorney/client privilege” was forged, and our concept of a “jury of one’s peers” was put to the test.

Carefully researched, vividly evoked, and lovingly brought to the page, Fortunate Son is an unforgettable work of fiction based on fact, one that will resonate deep within you long after you finish it.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free from The Story Plant for review purposes in conjunction with a blog tour, all opinions expressed below are my own.

When I was pitched this book, I was immediately drawn to the words “historical,” “courtroom drama” and “epic adventure.” They had me at hello!

I will say that in the beginning I found this book difficult to read. It’s very true-to-form in regards to the language used. I’m not used to reading books that have 18th century language. But once I got used to that it was a lot of fun. Jemmy, what a character. He went through so much, honestly, that it really hurt me at times to read what was happening.

I cannot imagine the amount of research that Mr. Marlett put into this book. It’s billed as being “carefully researched,” but that simply does not do it justice. As a reader I could tell that Mr. Marlett knew his subject inside and out and I truly believe that this is what made this book so very readable.

It might be a “courtroom historical adventure” but this book is all of that and so much more. The blood, sweat and tears, of the characters and the author are ever-present in this book. I really recommend this book to adventure fans, historical fans, and legal fans. It’s a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

About the author:

shapeimage_1David Marlett is an attorney, artist, and self-trained historian who grew up in a storytelling Texas family. He attended Texas Tech University where he earned multiple degrees in finance, economics and accounting. Subsequently, he earned his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. David has created and written stories and screenplays since childhood, and is particularly interested in richly textured history and the drama behind major courtroom battles. He is a serial entrepreneur focused primarily on the arts. (He once owned eight bookstores across the United States.) David currently speaks and lectures at conferences and universities on trans- media, storytelling, entrepreneurship in the arts, and crowdfunding. He has been a featured contributor to Movie Maker magazine, Digital Book World, and many other publications. He has developed and sold a number of film scripts and has directed/ acted in many regional theatrical performances. David is also a photoartist whose work has appeared in several galleries across the United States. He lives outside Dallas, Texas, and has four children. His second novel, American Red, another historical courtroom drama, is due to be published in late 2014.

Connect with Mr. Marlett:

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

4/5, Alexander Hawke, AUTHOR, Author Debut, B, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, SERIES

2013.48 REVIEW – Hawke by Ted Bell

Tara

Hawke
by Ted Bell

Copyright: 2003
Pages: 596
Rating: 4/5
Read: Nov 9-17, 2013
Challenge: Off the Shelf 2013
Yearly count: 48
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

HawkeBlurb: A direct descendant of a legendary English privateer, Lord Alexander Hawke is one of England’s most decorated naval heroes. Now, in the Caribbean on a secret assignment for the American government, Hawke must disarm a ticking time bomb – a highly experimental stealth submarine carrying forty nuclear warheads that has fallen into the hands of an unstable government just ninety miles from the U.S. mainland. But Hawke’s mission is twofold, for he has returned to the waters where modern-day pirates brutally murdered his parents when he was a boy – after a lifetime of nightmares, will vengeance be his at last?

Review: That moment when you realize that it’s been more than a week since you last read this book and have finished another one since then … and you know that you won’t do this review justice. *Sigh* Good thing I wrote down some notes immediately after finishing this book.

This is the first book in the Alexander Hawke series and overall it was pretty good. I did find that the beginning was a little slow to start. However, once the action really picked up (about the halfway mark), the book was just a non-stop roller coaster ride.

At 596 pages this is definitely a chunkster. And it’s my opinion that it might have been just a little too long. I don’t want to say that it necessarily dragged on endlessly, but it probably could have been shortened and tightened up a bit and not lost a whole lot.

I really enjoyed the characters. Alex is a complicated man with a troubled past (his parents were murdered when he was a boy; he witnessed the murder but his mind has blocked it). Victoria is interesting as well, I think there’s a lot more to her than we really get to see in this first book. It will be interesting to see how their love story plays out. And Ambrose … what a character! Funny! Overall the main characters are well-developed and interesting in their own way. Which definitely helps set up for what I hope will be a good series!

I think if I *had* to complain about something it would really be the multiple storylines. I sometimes had trouble remembering who belonged in what storyline and what was really going on in that particular storyline. It was a little overwhelming at times and I even found myself asking “what is this storyline again?” Nothing that is necessarily terrible, but something that I did struggle with (could have also just been my sporadic reading as well, though).

Overall a good book that I enjoyed and a great first book in what I hope turns out to be a good new series for me (…as if I need another series to keep track of…)